Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

can anybody tell me if they have any problems with alcohol after being banded,and what is the best to drink after op as most alcoholic drinks are fizzy.

Hi all! I'm scheduled for my LAP-BAND® tomorrow and just wanted to introduce myself to the board. I'm a 55 yr old, married, mother of two married children and one Dalmatian and grandmother to three FOUR LEGGED Grandchildren. (an olde english bulldog and two Havanese)...I'm in the medical field and have been researching this for about a year now. My husband is a teacher and very supportive of my decision. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you as we take this great journey together! I am being banded at Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, North Carolina by Dr. Michael Bell.

Hey everyone. Im new to the site. I havent had the lap-band done yet but would love to hear some of your stories. How much weight have you lost?

Hello all... I am approved for the Sleeve on the 25th w/ Dr.Patel in San antonio @ Innova Hospital....I am currently on my 2 week pre-op and it totally frustrating...The shakes are not bad (got the NSI whey Isolate from Vitacost). I am a night time eater and do good all day until around 5/6 o'clock and wow everything is tempting and the S/F Jello..yuck!!!! I am doing Protein shake for Breakfast and lunch and them 3oz. lean meat and vegetable.. Snacks include S/F jello, a piece of jack links meat sticks and a cheese stik.. I am very nervous about going into the hospital (not the surgery..that is exciting..) Absolutely love this site.. Thanks all for everything posted..su…

hi all! so excited that i have a surgery date -- 12/13!!!!!!!! i talked to surgery coordinator yesterday (i called her just as she was about to call me -- spooky) and she was about to submit my file for pre-authorization and wanted to set surgery date. also set pre-op, post-op appointments as well. trying not to get excited b/c it still hasn't gone thru insurance, but still!!!!!!! i can't believe i've gotten this far. i really, really want it to go thru ins now and to be able to move forward!!!! what do you think? possible to go thru the first time?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? wooooo-hooooo!!!!!!! :)

Anyone work for state of Louisiana? Does their insurance pay for any bariatric surgeries?:laugh:

I saw this post by jg62's husband and thought I'd start a new thread asking for prayers for her since alot of people may never see his post. She had plication surgery and complications afterwards. Here's a link to his post. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/9280-just-had-plication-surgery-and-need-urgent-help-with-pain/page__view__findpost__p__83984 Let's all offer her our best wishes and prayers and she'll be able to read them when she's all better. Hopefully it will bring her comfort to know that we all care and are thinking and praying for her.

Hello Everyone! I am new to this site. I am almost 6 weeks Post-OP. I have lost 29 pounds so far, although, this week I have lost nothing. I have been losing steadily and new I would eventually hit a wall. I am thinking I will have to step up the exercise, and my first fill will defiantly help, but that is not until October 19th. My journey started in May of this year. I went to a seminar that the Doctors were having. I was really excited about it and after a few tests and a few appointments, I was scheduled for September 1st! I am feeling great, and look forward to the new me, but I just can't help but feel like I am doing something wrong. I guess I just…

lena Hello, So i change my mind on the surgery, I'm doing a plication not a sleeve my day is Monday the 18th with Dr Ortiz in Tijuana I went to the bank to get a check to pay for the full payment and i'm sitting in my car in the parking lot thinking what the hell am i doing . should i just accepet myself to be this way and be miserable, or should i have the surgery and star to live again, so i went enside got a check and fax it to them ,i think i made the right decision,so now i'm waiting for the big day.

I need to hear all the bad stories. I just need to know.

Hi! I'm new here. Just about to be banded on 10/14/10. So excited! Any advice for a newbie? I've lost about 30 lbs because I was in a 6 month pre-program for my insurance... so I am soooo ready to get this show on the road!

Hi all i've been dropping in from time to time and finally decided to register. I'm new to this here it goes, my doctor and i have gone back and forth about having the surgery done and i've finally made the call to set up an appointment to the surgeon. my insurance company has approved the surgery but i'm scared. I have the key to my new life in hand but i keep inching forward. I's sure some of you have felt this at one point or another but there are so many questions i don't even know where to start. Has anyone had their sleeve done at ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH BAY SURGEONS in Torrance California? I'm to see Dr. Edward C. Mun, has anyone seen him? Any information…

Today I called the hospital to find out my next course of action. Initially I was told I'd have my psych eval and nutrition class on the same day and then a class teaching on what to expect during and after the surgery would follow...cool! Before getting off the phone I was told "I see no problem with you having a November surgery date." I felt like I was being given an all expenses paid vacation to Disney. The nurse just needed to call back with the date and time of the class that I have to take. When the nurse called back as we chatted she said LapBand or Bypass was written in my chart...NOT!!! I am not remotely interested in either of those, I want the sleeve. Sec…

Hi everyone, I'm new to all this so bear with me....I'll probably make tons of mistakes. I was originally supposed to lap-band surgery with Santiago Horgan but he moved to San Diego, so needless to say that was out. One of his fellows, Carlos Galvani has taken over the practice and I can't find much info at all about him. Have any of you guys used him or heard of him? This whole thing is getting so discouraging. Thanks for all your help, Linda

I just had my surgery on Thursday the 23rd. I go back to work tomorrow. My goal is to lose a total of about 127 pounds from the time I started this journey 8 months ago to my goal weight. I am currently at 34 pounds! Only about 93 to go! I am a married mother of one and have a great support system. I am looking forward to being healthier and happier. I started a blog, My road to the lap band if you want to read a step by step of my journey and keep up with my progress!

Hello All- I have checked out this site before, on the run up to getting my wife's bypass last year. That was the choice for her, she was done last December and is 70+ pounds down now. It has been slower than she would like, but she is now settled enough to add exercise and complete the picture. Now for me, I am 41 and I was a poor, skinny kid, right up to my late teens, early twenties. But in the 20 years I have been married, I have gained 5 pounds a year like clockwork. I look back through weigh ins for check ups and other than a 1 or 2 pound dip (that is made up by the next weigh in) you could lay a straight line from 21 to 41. From 195# to 295#. When I was …

I just got my band done on Thursday I am really excited to see the difference it will make. I lost 9 pounds by the day of surgery in in the 3 days since I am down another 3. I am having a hard time with this liquid diet, I have been doing soups mostly, protein drink, and jello but I just need something different. I am holding out though because the thought of hurting my healing is too scary to me. I look forward to hearing from all you new friends out there to help me along the way

I'm not banded yet but hope to be soon. I have a weight loss surgery seminar tomorrow evening with St. David's. My BMI is not 40 or more but (I'm at 38 BMI right now) I do have high cholesterol and I'm pre-diabetic. So we'll see how it goes tomorrow evening.

Just started my pre-surgery diet, if anyone has any tips to help me make the next two weeks easier please help me out. I am starting to get real excited about moving forward with my post-surgery life Allen

Starting around the 216lb range...how much weight or how long should I expect it to take to get below the 180 range?

Hello everyone! I was banded in Mexico 5 days ago. My aunt was the one to tell me about this awesome site. I wanted to come on here an introduce myself and see if there is anyone else in VT that's had this done. :puke:

Hi, I'm Desperate Midwife, I'm 30 yrs old live in Manchester, England (U.K) with my husband and 3 children. I'm paying privately for my band and I'm having it on 16/10/10 (5 days to go!) I have been waiting for this for a long time and I'm soooo excited! I'm currently clawing my way through the pre op diet, I'm struggling a bit with this but it's not for much longer now! :laugh:

Banded on Thursday, October 7th by Dr. Darrin Hansen at Alta View Hospital in Sandy, UT...I'm 5 days into my new life and I'm feeling GREAT...!!! I have not been hungry on 700-900 calories per day. Tomorrow I get to start full liquids...Friday I can start pureed foods. I'm looking forward to something other than juice, Jello, broth, and popsicles...!!! I had a wonderful surgical experience...only used the pain medication the first couple of days (I have fairly high pain tolerance) and did not experience any nausea due to the anesthesia or surgery. My worst issue now is the almost constant iching of my incisions. :smile2: My starting weight was 274 lbs at the beginnin…

Hey all: Just got approved last week. As of today I have a Dec. 2nd date. Can't wait! Excited, for the changes.

Hello all! I'm new here and was just banded yesterday the 11th of October. Hoping I get get a lot of useful info and support from this great forum. I was banded yesterday at 8am and released at 1:45pm. Everything went well and so far I haven't experienced much pain at all (knock on wood).

I think I'm experiencing my "what did I do to myself moment?" Which, if I think about it, is completely irrational at this point, considering I was just sleeved on the 27th. But right now it sucks. I can't eat anything because everything makes me sick, which makes me lie down all day, which means I'm not walking, etc. etc. I'm not getting Protein because I can't stomach the shakes (and I've tried about 5 of them) and I'm HUNGRY!!! I keep telling myself to wait it out. Physically I feel better but I know my insides haven't had that much time to heal yet. I just want it to hurry up. Sorry for whining

Hello..I go for my free seminar Monday..I've done my homework with insurance, preparing other drs notes and medical records etc. so I'm set to go after my seminar for my consultation. One concern I have is how much weight is expected during the first few months after the surgery? I struggle with doing a diet and no results as do many and I don't want to get discouraged or feel hopeless if I don't loose a lot during the first few months. Is it espected that you will loose 60-80 during your first year? Thanks

Hello all!! I am so glad to have stumbled across this website/forum. Sometimes you need to have that "third person" to bounce ideas or suggestions off of. I go in for my first Adjustment 08/11/10. If anyone has any questions go ahead and ask and I will answer as soon as I can. Can't wait to meet all the great people here!!

ok guess this doesn't really have to do with the sleeve but i feel i can bounce anything off you guys and get some sound advice. i have not been sleeved yet but something new is happening to me and i am kind of nervous about it and wondering it it happend to any of my fellow sleevers. ok here it is i am extremly hungry,not just want to eat to eat i mean hungry with hunger pain stomach growling and all and it been this way for two days now. i told you guys that i have an ulcer and when i googled severe hunger an ulcer as well as diabetes is cause for severe hunger which i have as well. now i know no one can give medical advice but has this happenend to any one of you that …

This feels like the longest morning of my life and it just started......... Today my dad is finding out if he gets approved to cosign on my loan.....(Happy thoughts) .. I've hit soooo many bumps in the road trying to start my journey and this is kinda my last hope right now ... Not sure what else to do!!!!..... I just pray that I get good news today!... Ive already met with the surgeon and took the pre-op class.. I just have the dietician and psych. to see but im waiting to set up those appointments till I know for sure that I got the loan!!!... HAPPY HAPPY THOUGHTS!!!!!!!!!:laugh:

Hello all. I am brand new to this site.I just want to connect with others and learn more about lapband surgery. I am hoping to have it done myself.:thumbup:

I go to my consultation tomorrow. This will be the first time I meet my surgeon. I'm excited, but nervous. I don't know what to expect. I hope everything goes well. I have been waiting for this day since I attended the seminar 09/15/10. Wish me luck.

Hi all, I have been an "arm chair" observer in your forum ever since a friend (physician) confessed that her weight loss was not due to the traditional methods I had assumed. She spoke freely about her experience and surgery in Mexico. Ever since then, I have been curious about the sleeve. A little back ground...I am 47 and had two children later in life (at the age of 39 and 42). I have been a yoyo dieter, and have achieved my goal weight (within a few pounds) several times by strict exercise, Jenny Craig, WW, etc. I am about 50 or 60 pounds overweight with a BMI of 32 or 33. I do not have any "co-morbidity risks" and I exercise frequently.. I am also a veterina…

GOOD MORNING, As of today I'm 30 days out from the big day. Nov 10, 2010.. Any suggestion on what to do to be more prepared ? I have been working on have the weight surgery but once it came time to start i would back down and not keep my appointments. Final I gave got so close I can't never sleep. I was approved in Aug 15, 2010 but have to schedule in Nov becasue of my work schedule and disablty requriments. I'm happy but a little scared at the same time. I'm returning 40 in May and I'm hoping I will be 100 lbs little . Wish me luck and Good luck to all who had your surgery already. Please advise me with any help what will make this life changing for me easy a…

Hello to all! I am going through Aetna's requirements and I am almost finished! I have one more nutrition meeting next month ( Nov. 13th) and I am excited, scared, anxious etc. I am anxiously waiting for my file to be submitted for approval (keeping my fingers crossed)! I am ready for a new beginning! Wish me luck!

Well Guys! I haven't been on here in a long time... Sorry... Time sure does fly and I've been staying so busy... On Tuesday it will be a year since I was sleeved! October 12, 2009. 90lbs lost! I am a completely different person. I still have a ways to go. Probably the last 4 months I have just been holding my own, which I know isn't good, but hey at least I haven't been gaining and it is possible to maintain right? I have went from a size 22w to a size 11/12! I just bought me a pair of jeans that were an 11 the other day! How exciting! Now I do need plastic surgery. Especially on my arms and thighs. Hope I can get that done before long. Also my gallbladder is full …

october 6th was my 2 year bandiversary...i was in a car accident that morning...i'm okay...but i really didn't get to celebrate...i honestly wasn't planning on celebrating anywayz...i've had my ups and downs thru this whole process...i was going to treat like any other day...bcuz i'm like any other person that has lost weight...i am proud of myself for keeping my weight off for 2 years...and always working hard at it...i'm proud of myself for changing my lifestyle...eating healthy...staying fit...going to the gym and watching my portion size....i love love love love myself and my band...i weighted in at 163...my goal weight is 165...i will not go over 165 or under 160...t…

ARKANSAS LAP-BAND®®® DR. BAKER LITTLE ROCK, AR. BAPIST HOSPITAL. LOOKING FOR SOMEONE IN ARKANSAS TO TALK TO AND BE BAND BUDDIES SURGERY DATE IS 10/20/10. ON 10 DAYS OF HMR SHAKES AND SO FAR SO GOOD. YESTERDAY WAS TEMPTED BUT STOPPED. FOOD EVERYWHERE CAN'T WANT TV TOO MANY COMERCIALS ALL FOOD. :puke: I WANT TO START ONE OF THE WEIGHT TICKER TAPES ON THE SCREENS. HOW AND WHERE DO YOU GET THEM?? I WANT TO START A JOURNAL TOO ABOUT THE JOURNEY IS THERE ONE ON HERE? ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANKS:thumbup:

Hi, I am 11 days post op and I am so confused about everything!! I have read and read and read everything that has been given to me but for some reason, I am having a hard time with this 2nd post op week. Day 7, I finally felt the first initial hunger pain and it really has not subsided much since then. I have tried to stick with the all liquids but must confess that I have given in to some mashpotatos, scrabled eggs, grits and soup. I try not to do it often but I have some how found I keep pushing the envelope. I really want to succeed with this and I am scared that I have already damaged a good outcome for myself from the "cheating" I have done. I am having a real …

:thumbup: Hi, I'm Nina , aged 42. I'm from the UK and live down in the lovely south west Dorset countryside with my partner Dean and our two sons aged 9 and 11. Both are autistic so never a dull moment! I am a stay-at home Mum at the moment and I had my band placed in Summer 2008. I started my band journey at 350lbs and I have lost 129lbs to date. Just trying to persevere and lose the remaining 90lbs to reach a goal weight I feel would be right for me and hopefully never lapse back into unhelpful eating again. I love spending time with the family, Music ,gardening, video games and exercising. Always happy to meet banders and swap tips and I look forward to c…

Hi Everyone, Tomorrow is surgery day, right now I'm a mixed bag of emotions...little happy, scared of not knowing what to expect but it'll be worth it all I know for my healthy and for the rest of my life . I need to be hear for my children and my hubby and I need to be healthy. I'll be in touch as soon as I can. The people on these boards are so awesome!! Got a lot of great information from everyone. Thanks and take care, Kim

Getting Sleeved tomorrow by Dr. Nicholson in Plano. I am feeling the full range of emotions from anxiety to exhilaration. Told my parents this morning. Huge mistake!!!!! However, at 58 I need to get over seeking their approval, hence some of my weight issues. I am looking forward to a new confident me and sincerely hope and pray this I have made the correct decision. Will keep you posted.

Finally I got the call today and they gave me a date. I just want to know if any of you guys went to see your surgeon 1 week before the surgery? coz they want me to come in on 10-6-10 for the pre-op seminar for a whole day. Then after that i need to see my primary doc to get sum xray and some ekg done. Is this part of the pre-op procedure? Anyways Im just excited finally the time has come.

Hi! Hope you all had a terrific weekend. I have a question. My surgeon didn't say that I needed a sleep study but I was told by another potential sleever that all surgeries (sleeve, by pass and lap band) require a sleep study. Is this true? So far I've attended a seminar, had blood work done, and tomorrow I go for the Upper GI and Ultrasound. After that, the only things marked on my script that I need to have are a pre-op teaching class, psych eval and a meeting with a nutritionist. Could this have been an oversight on my doctor's part or has anyone had a sleeve surgery without a sleep study? Thanks, and enjoy the rest of your evening, Niki

Has anyone tried protein shots instead of protein shakes? I'm 3 weeks post-op and I just can't stomach the protein shake. I haven't been able to keep them down. I need my protein because I've been feeling so weak and tired lately. I heard walmart carries them. Can someone please help?!!!

As I sit here it's finally hitting me... 5 more days til surgery. WOW it's almost here. I'm nervous and scared. I'm also excited to start the next stage of this journey. But I'm also sitting here thinking will I ever be able to eat the food I enjoy ever again... I guess I'm thinking about that more due to the fact that I've been on all liquids for the last 9 days. Will I be able to eat spicy food again? Both me and my husband enjoy cooking and eating spicy food. The hotter the better is our motto And I'm also stressing about the pain after surgery. I'm not only having the sleeve procedure I'm also having a hiatal hernia repair. I'm a BIG chicken and cannot tol…

Hi folks. I'm Dave, and I'm one of the new guys here. I feel a bit weird right now, because for the last several months I've been researching and working toward getting the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) surgery. Of the three main types of current bariatric sugeries, that seemed the best fit for me. I'd double-checked with my insurance carrier, and was told yes, the sleeve was covered. So I'd done all my homework, I attended some seminars, got my PCM to refer me to a weight loss surgeon who does my surgery type, and I got myself all psyched up for a marathon appointment with my surgeon and his team. After weeks of waiting I finally saw them yesterday. Things were…

Well, here's my newbie introduction! I was banded on September 16, 2010 at New Hope Bariatric's in Overland Park, Kansas. I'm doing well, but have not lost the amount of weight I expected when I compare myself to friends who have the band. But, I am reminding myself of the huge learning curve that comes with this new part inside of me! As of today, I'm 13 pounds down, but 10 of that was from pre-surgery prep for two weeks. I've over-come numerous hurdles so far, so I'm in the learning mode. Look forward to hearing the experiences of others as we all travel down this road.

Hi everyone! Having my LAP-BAND® done today (9/10/10), really looking forward to it :thumbup:...I did have a previous encounter with a gastric balloon which did not end well :puke:I've been yo-yoing for years and now feel it's time to pull the finger out! I plan on writing a daily log off my trials and tribulations, more to help me than bore you :frown: I must admit I cannot do this by myself and I am grateful for this forum to enable me to read and share your experiences :biggrin: Let the journey begin :tongue:

Hi! My name is JC. I'm 40, living in Denver, CO with my husband and 12 year old twins. I'm counting down until my surgery on Friday (10-15-10)! I'm over the moon that my process went fairly smoothly. I would love to support anyone going through the "process". I see a counselor weekly for all my emotional baggage, attend as many support group sessions (weekly & monthly) as I can and read a lot of lap band blogs.